Welcome to
Newton Farm Nursery, Infant & Junior School
REC-ELM
Role of excellence goes to...
Aadya and Gevena for being the best dressed sports person.
The children had an exciting day as palaeontologists! They began by learning all about different types of dinosaurs, including the fact that herbivores didn’t have teeth or had very blunt teeth. The children then got hands-on as they used paint brushes to carefully clear away dirt and uncover fossils, just like real scientists do! Next, they were thrilled to receive a visit from Sophie, the baby dinosaur, who helped bring the day to life. The children also learned that scientists have different ideas about how dinosaurs became extinct. To demonstrate one theory, they created a dinosaur scene with volcanoes using cups. They poured coloured vinegar (to represent lava) and added bicarbonate soda to watch the volcanoes erupt in a fantastic display! Finally, the children used their phonetic knowledge to complete a dinosaur fact file booklet, where they wrote all about the different dinosaurs they had learned about. It was an action-packed topic of learning, fun, and discovery!
As part of International Week, the children have been learning all about Japan! One of the highlights was discovering the significance of the cherry blossom tree. The children created their own beautiful cherry blossom artwork, which they proudly showcased to the school during the International Week showcase. Afterwards, they put their artwork up for donation to help raise money for UNICEF—and Elm Class raised an amazing £70! The children also had the opportunity to try a famous Japanese dish: sushi! They tasted cucumber maki and edamame beans, exploring new flavors and textures. It was a fantastic week of learning, creativity, and cultural exploration!
As part of our Life in the Past topic, the children were transported back in time to experience a Victorian school day! To begin with, the children were separated by gender, just as Victorian children would have been. The girls took part in sewing and cooking, where they prepared a fruit salad, while the boys participated in marching drills and construction. All the children had the chance to write on a slate (chalkboard) using chalk, just like Victorian students did. They quickly realized how different learning was in the past! After a discussion about gender roles and how unfair it was to be separated, we reflected on children’s rights today. We then allowed everyone to try all the activities, ensuring a fun and inclusive experience for all. It was an eye-opening and engaging way to bring history to life!
As part of our history topic, the children have been learning all about transport! They used their observational skills and prior knowledge to sort different types of transport into groups. The children thought carefully about whether each mode of transport belonged on land, water, or in the air, discussing their choices and reasoning. They also learned the names of some historical transport, including the fascinating penny farthing! The children were amazed by its unique design and loved discovering how transport has changed over time. It was a great hands-on learning experience, helping the children develop their understanding of the past and how it connects to the present.
We hope everyone enjoys a well-deserved rest over the Christmas holidays and comes back in the new year refreshed and ready for all the exciting learning opportunities ahead! As part of our RE learning, the children visited St Andrew’s Church to learn more about Christianity and its traditions.
We were welcomed by Father Lyndon, who explained the importance of the church in the community and spoke to the children about Christian celebrations, such as Christmas and Easter.
The children had the chance to explore the church and look at key features, including:
- The altar, where important ceremonies take place.
- The stained glass windows, which tell stories from the Bible.
- The font, used for baptisms.
They also enjoyed listening to Father Lyndon explain the significance of the Bible and why it is such an important book for Christians. Some of the children even got to try ringing the church bells!
The visit was a wonderful opportunity for the children to learn about Christianity, ask questions, and see a place of worship up close.
#RELearning #ChurchVisit #ExploringChristianity #ReceptionClassAdventures #StAndrewsChurch #CulturalUnderstanding #LearningAboutFaiths #EarlyYearsEducation
The children had an exciting day taking part in a police investigation after discovering that the classroom had been left in a mess! 🚨
The crime scene was taped off with "Do Not Cross" and "Under Investigation" tape, adding to the mystery. There were footprints leading away from the scene, and the children had to investigate the clues left behind.
To help solve the case, the children took their own fingerprints and compared them to those found at the scene. They carefully drew and labeled the other clues they found, working hard to figure out who the suspect might be.
The school had even received a call from the police, explaining that there had been a number of break-ins at other schools in the local area. Since the police were too busy to attend, they asked the children to take on the role of detectives and pass their findings on to the teachers to share with the police.
The children worked brilliantly as a team, showing amazing problem-solving skills and determination. What fantastic detectives they were!
#PoliceInvestigation #EYFSLearning #LittleDetectives #ReceptionAdventures #ProblemSolving #Teamwork #LearningThroughPlay
The children had a magical time celebrating Christmas with a variety of exciting activities and events!
They started by writing and posting Christmas cards to their families, spreading joy through thoughtful messages. In school, the children helped decorate the big school Christmas tree as well as their own smaller class tree, bringing festive cheer to the classroom.
We also had a trip to the theatre to see Father Christmas, which was such a treat! Back at school, the children proudly performed in their EYFS Christmas performance, singing Christmas carols to their families. It was a wonderful celebration of the season, and their hard work shone through.
Christmas dinner and jumper day added even more excitement, with everyone enjoying delicious food and showing off their festive jumpers.
The excitement didn’t stop there—Santa himself paid us a special visit, and the children loved meeting him and sharing their Christmas wishes!
To top it all off, the children had an incredible time visiting the local winter wonderland. They had so much fun on the bouncy castles, throwing snowballs, trying axe throwing, riding bumper cars, exploring the crazy house, and finishing with a special Christmas dinner in the banqueting hall.
It was a truly magical way to celebrate the festive season!
#ChristmasInReception #FestiveFun #EYFSChristmas #ChristmasPerformance #WinterWonderland #SantaVisit #ReceptionClassAdventures #ChristmasJoy
As part of our RE learning, the children had the wonderful opportunity to visit a synagogue and learn more about Jewish traditions and beliefs
We were warmly welcomed by Rabbi Aaron, who taught the children a beautiful Hebrew song, which they enjoyed listening to and joining in with. He shared the significance of Shabbat and its importance in Jewish life.
The children also learned about Hanukkah and explored fascinating Jewish artefacts, including:
- A menorah, used during the eight days of Hanukkah.
- A dreidel, which is part of the Hanukkah celebrations.
- A kiddush cup, used for blessings over wine.
One of the most special moments was when some of the children were invited to open the ark (where the Torah scrolls are kept) and even hold the Torah scrolls. Rabbi Aaron explained the customs around opening the Torah, such as why it is important not to touch the writing directly, and shared how old and precious the Torah scrolls are.
It was a fascinating and enriching trip, giving the children a deeper understanding of Judaism and its beautiful traditions.
#RELearning #SynagogueVisit #ExploringJudaism #ReceptionClassAdventures #Shabbat #Hanukkah #LearningAboutFaiths #CulturalUnderstanding
The children have been diving into the world of 2D-shapes and having so much fun learning along the way! 🌟
We began by introducing key vocabulary such as corners and sides, helping the children describe and understand the properties of different shapes. The learning got hands-on with a maths investigation! Using shape finders, the children explored the classroom, hunting for different shapes in their environment. Next, they played an exciting game of “What’s in the Box?”, where they described the hidden shapes by their properties (number of sides and corners) before revealing them.
To extend their learning, the children explored “What are shapes made of?” by using playdough and straws to create their own 2D shapes. They worked hard to form triangles, squares, and even took on the challenge of making circles, semi-circles, and rectangles!
It was wonderful to see the children so engaged and excited to learn about shapes through investigation and creativity!
#2DShapes #HandsOnLearning #MathsInvestigation #ReceptionClassFun #LearningThroughPlay #EYFSMaths #ShapeExploration #CreativeLearning
Continuing our Unique Me: Local Area topic, this week the children had the wonderful opportunity to learn about people in our community and how they help us. 🌟 A huge thank you to the parents and guest speakers who volunteered their time to talk to us about their jobs!
We welcomed:
A GP and a pharmacist - who explained how they help keep us healthy.
A care assistant - who shared the important work they do supporting the elderly.
A local store manager - who spoke about running a store and serving the community.
A first aider - who taught us how they help in emergencies.
Our guests spoke to the children about their job/role in the community; What they do in their job; Why their job is important to the community; and the uniform/special clothing they wear for work. Some of our visitors even brought along items from their jobs to show the children, making it an exciting, hands-on experience! The children loved listening to the talks and were inspired to write about the amazing helpers in our community. It was a brilliant way to learn about the people who make a difference in our lives!
#UniqueMe #CommunityHelpers #PeopleWhoHelpUs #ReceptionClassLearning #EarlyYearsEducation #EYFSExplorers #LearningThroughExperience #InspiringTalks #LocalHeroes
As part of our Unique Me - Local Area topic, the children enjoyed a fantastic trip to Rayners Lane high street! 🌆 They explored the high street and took time to observe all the wonderful places and things our local area has to offer. 📸
When we returned to school, we had a group discussion, sharing our favourite sights and sounds from the day. The children then used their phonics skills to segment and blend words to label the photos we took along the way. It's amazing to see them so engaged in connecting with their community!
Our exciting learning adventures continued with a trip to Aldenham Country Farm! The children had a wonderful time exploring the 100 Acre Woods on an autumn walk, where they even spotted Winnie the Pooh!
The children learnt all about the different animals on the farm, how they are cared for and why they are so important. They all loved feeding the goats and getting up close to the animals.
To finish off the fantastic day, the children had a chance to play and blow off steam in the adventure playground, rounding off this memorable trip perfectly. What an incredible experience for everyone!
#UniqueMe #LocalAreaLearning #RaynersLane #ReceptionClass #ExploringOurCommunity #EarlyYearsEducation #AldenhamFarmTrip #AutumnAdventures #100AcreWoods #LearningThroughExperience #PhonicsFun #EYFS
We are so proud of how well the children have settled into Reception! Their progress and enthusiasm for learning have been truly inspiring. It’s been wonderful watching them grow and explore new ideas this half-term and we look forward to more exciting and fun learning opportunities in the coming term. Happy Diwali! May this festival of lights bring happiness, peace, and prosperity to you and your loved ones. We hope you enjoy this special time together, creating lasting memories. Wishing you all a relaxing and enjoyable half-term break. #HappyDiwali #Diwali2023 #ReceptionClass #HalfTermBreak #ProudTeachers #LearningAndGrowing #EarlyYears
The children had a fantastic time during our Happy Feet, Healthy Heart week! They enjoyed learning how to ride a scooter, which was an exciting new skill for many of them. The week ended with a whole-school fashion show, where everyone proudly showcased their style and creativity. #HappyFeetHealthyHeart #ScooterSkills #WholeSchoolFashionShow #RoleOfExcellence #HealthyKids #BestDressed #SchoolCommunity
Over the past week, the children in Elm Class have settled in wonderfully. They’ve completed their first full week of school, experiencing their initial lessons in literacy, maths, music, and PE. Lunchtimes in the hall have been a great success, with the children enjoying meals with their friends, using cutlery to develop fine motor skills, and showing lovely manners. In PE, the children have been working on hand-eye coordination. In music, they’ve learned new terms such as ‘beat,’ ‘tempo’ (how fast), and ‘rhythm’ (the pattern), which also linked to their maths learning, where they identified, copied, and created their own repeated patterns. In literacy, we’ve focused on developing their oracy skills. The children have been sharing about themselves—discussing their likes and dislikes. I am incredibly proud of how well they’ve settled, and I’m excited for all the learning opportunities ahead!
Over the past 2 weeks, Elm class has been captivated as they observed chicks hatch from eggs, witnessing the incredible journey of life unfold. Through a series of engaging activities, they've not only delved into the life-cycle of chicks and spring; but also developed and strengthened a variety of crucial skills. They've expanded their vocabulary and understanding of the different stages of the chick life-cycle, utilised various materials to craft chick life-cycle booklets, and honed their fine motor skills through intricate crafting. Additionally, they've sharpened their observational skills by identifying signs of Spring and developed an awareness of seasonal changes. They've also engaged in sorting activities to comprehend the characteristics of different seasons and expressed their creativity by baking and decorating cupcake flowers. Furthermore, they've deepened their understanding of plants by labelling parts of a plant and expanded their plant-related vocabulary. It's been an enriching journey of discovery and skill development!
Reception students have had a fantastic beginning to the Summer term - diving into the world of minibeasts! Over the past two weeks, Elm class have witnessed caterpillars undergo a metamorphosis into butterflies. Through a variety of engaging activities, they've not only learned about these creatures but also developed a range of essential skills. They’ve learnt new vocabulary and the different stages of the butterfly life-cycle; used different pasta shapes to create the life-cycles of a butterfly; made their own butterfly booklets; developed their fine motor skills with observational drawings; created their own caterpillars and working on their cutting skills; recapped their knowledge of 2D-shapes when making their minibeasts; learnt about the importance of bees and made honey flapjacks.
Elm class had an exciting start to Spring 2! Our week kicked off with an electrifying jamming session led by Oury and Ian from Wuntanara, where we immersed ourselves in the rhythmic beats of the African drums. Exploring where they came from, how they’re made and the notes they produce. The African drums left us amazed. We then ended the week on a fascinating adventure to the London Aquarium. In the middle of the mesmerising marine life, including sharks, turtles, crocodiles, snakes, jellyfish, and penguins, Elm class absorbed a wealth of knowledge about where the animals lived and what they ate.Transitioning seamlessly into Week 3, we immersed ourselves in the heart of the rainforest, transforming our reception into an ultimate camping experience. We pitched tents and drank hot chocolate with s'mores by the crackling campfire.
What an excellent spring term we’ve had in Elm class. There have been some wonderful learning opportunities. These include: ice painting and looking at the signs of winter; international week (learning about Ghana with a guest speaker and cooking jollof rice), dressing up for Children in Need, celebrating the Sri Lankan New Year festival - Pongal; and finally learning about the Finnish New Year meting metal tradition (plus using the VR-headsets to look at the Northern lights and the snowy mountains in Finland). It has been an exciting half term, but the next half-term gets even better!
To kick start the festivities, reception went to see Father Christmas at the theatre. They really enjoyed the show. Next the children decorated and wrote their own Christmas cards to their family. We then took a short trip to the letter box - we hope they get to our families before the big day. We also sang to our families at the EYFS Christmas Concert, wore Christmas jumpers, had Christmas dinner, watched the teachers acting in the staff panto and finally had a Christmas party. It has been a pleasure teaching you this term Elm Class. Keep up the good work and I look forward to all the fun and learning we’ll be doing next
This week in Elm class we celebrated Diwali. The children looked at how Diwali is celebrated by people who follow the Hindu religion. First we started by cleaning the classroom and making Rangoli patterns to bring us good luck. Then we looked at different artefacts that are displayed in homes during Diwali; and finally made our own Diya lamps.
To kick start Happy Feet, Healthy Heart week (and finishing off our Black History topic), the children made pumpkin soup. Before prepping, they explored the raw vegetables (including butternut squash, sweet potato, yam, cho cho) and used their senses to describe them. Each child took part in preparing the vegetables. Once it was all cooked the children took their seats in a “Jamaican restaurant” and enjoyed their meal with their friends. In addition, the children received scooter training and took a bus ride to a park. We were supposed to go on a tube ride to Wembley stadium. However, due to signal failure we decided to take a bus ride to a park. Not only did this change in plans demonstrate the resilience of Elm class, it was another opportunity to work on our physical and mental health.
This week in Elm Class we have been celebrating Black History Month. In literacy we were reading Coming to England by Floella Benjamin. We had a lot of fun listening to the story, looking at the different settings and acting out the main scenes. For their superhero challenges, the children have focused on the Caribbean country of Jamaica - looking at the flag, traditional food (rice and peas) and decorating a carnival mask. Finally, we had a brilliant discussion around our topic question “Why is it important to be kind to everyone?”. Some of the children's comments were “being kind to everyone is respectful”; “we have to be a respect–saurus and use kind words”; “being unkind makes people feel upset”; and “it doesn’t matter if we look different, we are all unique”.
Elm Class has settled in well to life at Newton Farm. Over the last two weeks, not only have they been making friends and beginning to understand the routines; but they have had their first two weeks of lessons. They’ve learnt new vocabulary and sounds, in phonics and discussed what maths is and why we learn it. Our topic has been ‘Unique Me’. Through a number of Superhero challenges and continuous provision, the children have explored their Rights and looked at what makes them unique.
